This vegan wedge salad is a tangy, refreshing appetizer made with whole-food plant-based ingredients. It tastes very similar to the original version, but it’s made with vegan bacon bits and a tahini blue cheese dressing substitute.
You could make a plant-based wedge salad simply by using store-bought vegan blue cheese dressing and vegan bacon bits, but I wanted this salad to be healthier. Instead of relying on processed foods — which contain many oils, sugars, and dyes — give this homemade version a try!
Not only is this wedge salad made from whole food ingredients, but it’s also free of added sugars and refined carbs, so it’s a good appetizer for maintaining healthy blood sugar levels.
This appetizer is made very quickly from scratch, but you can also make the TVP bacon bits and dressing ahead of time if you like to meal prep. Both the dressing and the bacon bits will last a while in the refrigerator, but avoid cutting the lettuce until right before serving to avoid wilting.
Ingredient Overview
- Iceberg Lettuce — this sturdy lettuce is essential for making the classic wedge shape of this salad
- Tomatoes — any kind of tomato will work, as long as you dice them small enough to stick to the dressing
- Chives — optional but recommended for adding a sharp and herbaceous flavor
- Tahini — a great dressing base for a blue cheese dressing substitute because it is thick and slightly bitter
- Lemon Juice — the acidity balances the bitterness of the tahini and adds a tanginess (always use fresh lemon juice!)
- Water — thins the dressing (but not too much — the dressing is supposed to be thick)
- Capers — add an additional tanginess to the dressing and a pop of color similar to blue cheese. I use the nonpareils capers (smaller ones). If you use the larger ones, you might have to adjust the other ingredients because these are quite acidic.
- Salt
- TVP — the best choice for making vegan bacon bits because they are small and hold their shape well
- Soy Sauce or Tamari — adds an umami flavor to the bacon bits. Use tamari for gluten-free
- Smoked Paprika — adds color and a smoky flavor to the bacon bits
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
Adjustments and Substitutions
This vegan wedge salad recipe is incredibly flexible! If you need to swap some ingredients for any reason, this salad will still taste great.
De-Wedge The Salad — Although the classic wedge shape of this salad is “necessary,” you eventually have to cut it up to eat it. So when I’m not taking photos of it or serving it to others, I like to chop up the iceberg lettuce before topping it. It tastes the same, is more convenient to eat, and the toppings are more evenly distributed.
Use Store-Bought Ingredients — Although I don’t recommend it, if you can’t find the time to make the homemade ingredients, there are plenty of store-bought vegan bacon bits and vegan blue cheese dressing substitutes at the grocery store.
Sub the Tahini (Sesame Paste) — If you have a sesame allergy or sensitivity, you can’t make this tahini blue cheese dressing. This is my favorite version of the dressing, but many people make a vegan blue cheese dressing out of tofu. Give one of those recipes a try or use a store-bought dressing, which is unlikely to be made from sesame.
Fully Loaded— To add even more flavors and textures to your salad, you can add ingredients like black olives, small avocado chunks, pepperoncini, red onions, green onions, and vegan blue cheese crumbles (Follow your Heart makes these).
Vegan Wedge Salad
Equipment
- 1 mini food processor
Ingredients
TVP Bacon Bits
- 1/2 cup TVP
- 2 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp water
Vegan Blue Cheese Dressing
- 1/3 cup tahini
- 1 tbsp lemon juice fresh
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 1/2 tbsp Dijon mustard the smooth variety (not grainy)
- 1/4 cup water add more to thin the dressing
- 1/2 tbsp capers for blending
- 1 tsp capers to mix into blended dressing
Salad Assembly
- 1 head iceberg lettuce
- 1 cup diced tomatoes
- 2 tbsp chives diced
Instructions
TVP Bacon Bits
- In a small bowl, combine tamari, smoked paprika, garlic powder, water, and apple cider vinegar. Pour in TVP and mix well.
- After all of the liquid has been absorbed, place the TVP on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 300°F for 5 – 10 minutes. (Less time for chewier bacon bits and more time for crunchy bacon bits)
Vegan Blue Cheese Dressing
- Add all of the dressing ingredients (besides the extra capers) to a mini food processor and blend until smooth. You might have to scrape the sides a couple of times depending on what food processor you have.
- Pour the dressing into a small container and stir in the extra capers.
- Taste and adjust seasonings. You can stir in a little more water if you'd like, but keep in mind that the dressing is supposed to be thick so that the toppings can stick to it.
Assemble the Wedge Salads
- Cut the head of the lettuce in half. Then cut the two pieces in half again. Slice the stem off of each of the four wedges.
- Top each wedge with the vegan blue cheese dressing, TVP bacon bits, tomatoes, and chives.